the necessity of practice
I've always been amused that the business of lawyering or doctoring is called a "practice." It has always seemed to me that for two professions that are generally only called upon when there's a crisis, the last thing you'd want to do is to rely on the services of someone who "needs to practice." I've long believed that lawyers' and doctors' offices should be called something more reassuring; like calling a lawyer's establishment a "Worry No More," or a doctor's business a "I Got This."
Okay, perhaps the names need a bit of work. But you get my point.
Six months ago, my husband got me an awesome little camera for my birthday. Its convenience is undeniable: it takes solid photographs, it allows me to shoot manually in a way most point-and-shoots don't, and the best part is that it's so small, I keep it on me at all times -- it remains in my handbag, 24/7. My Nikon, which is, frankly, huge, can be a bit unwieldy to take with me everywhere, so it has been nice to have a light, powerful camera on me wherever I go, should inspiration hit and I need a visual record.
Still, 6 months later, I'm realizing that I'm using my Nikon dSLR less and less, and as a result, when I finally do pick it up, it feels vaguely unfamiliar, like a dear friend from whom I've drifted apart. Frankly, I'm a bit confused by how this could've possibly happened. The Nikon remains my go-to camera whenever I've been hired for professional purposes; however, there was a time when I'd pick it up daily, regardless of the reason, just to feel its weight in my hands, and experiment with what it's capable of doing. Because while the Sony is a powerful little point-and-shoot, its capabilities don't even approach what the Nikon can do. Not by a long shot.
It's already late January, which is sort of a strange time to be starting a 365 project, but it occurs to me that perhaps that's exactly what I need to do. Even though I tend to take a photograph a day anyway (which often appears on my Instagram feed, courtesy of the Sony), I need to reacquaint myself with my Nikon -- not for the purposes of Making Great Art, but rather simply to re-familiarize myself with what it can do. Even if it means taking photographs in my entryway, in low, setting light, just to see how I can make the camera react.
I won't share all of my shots here with you, but don't be surprised if more photo posts appear more frequently, under the category, #365daily. Because I'm starting to realize that even when you know what you're doing, approaching your work with the intention of continual learning is sometimes not a bad thing.
Song: Practice is perfect by Andy McKee